Judge Gary Pumilia questioned all potential jurors about what they had read or seen in the news media about the case. And he asked about what they may have spoken with others about because merely reading or hearing about the case did not automatically disqualify them. Pumilia also asked potential jurors if they had formed an opinion based on what they had learned and if they could set that aside and decide the case solely on evidence and testimony presented at trial.

Ten jurors had been chosen by the afternoon Tuesday with two more jurors and two alternates left to be chosen.

Pumilia was asking the Winnebago County Jury Commission to send him all available potential jurors in an effort to complete jury selection.

One of the would-be pizzeria robbery suspects, 16-year-old Michael D. Sago Jr., died of his wounds. The other three men including Sago, Lamar Coates and Desmond Bellmon were wounded and charged with felony first-degree murder in Sago Jr.’s death.

Sago is Sago Jr.’s cousin.

Coates was sentenced to 40 years in prison after he was found guilty by a jury. Bellmon pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 9. Sago rejected a plea agreement before the trial began.